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Eligibility

In order to have access to the retiree medical plan you must be at least age 55 and have at least five consecutive years of service as a Benefits Eligible Employee through retirement.

Plan Coverage and Medicare Coordination

If you meet the eligibility requirements, lifetime retiree medical coverage is available to you and your qualified dependents. You may elect to be covered under either the medical plan you were enrolled in at the time of retirement – SUBlue, SUOrange, or SUPro – or you may switch your plan option. If you were not enrolled in an SU health plan prior to retirement, you may elect coverage for yourself and your qualified dependents upon retirement. Once your retirement elections are made, you will not be able to add any additional dependents.

Your retiree coverage under SUBlue, SUOrange, or SUPro will be consistent with the coverage provided to active employees, with the following exceptions upon Medicare-eligibility:

You and your qualified dependents are required to enroll in Medicare Parts A and B as soon as eligibility for such coverage commences, and you will be responsible for the cost of Medicare Part B. Medicare will pay primary and the University will pay secondary under the Medicare carve-out integration method. As a participant, this will not change the amount you have to pay for cost-sharing (co-pays, deductibles, coinsurance, etc.). Your physician will first submit your claims to Medicare and any unpaid balance will be forwarded to POMCO automatically. POMCO will then apply the University’s plan benefit after reducing for Medicare coverage.

Prescription drug coverage is not available under the University plans. Retirees are encouraged to consider prescription drug coverage offered through Medicare Part D. The cost for this coverage is paid directly by the retiree.

Enrollment Process

Upon retirement, you will receive an enrollment packet from POMCO. Your packet will include information on the benefit options you can choose from as a retiree, including information regarding any dental/vision and health care flexible spending account coverage that you may have under COBRA, as well as election forms to designate your selections. When you receive your packet, the Office of Human Resources would be happy to review your materials with you. To schedule a meeting or simply request a phone consultation, you may contact the HR Service Center at 315.443.4042.

Be sure to review the information about the Retiree Opt Out/Opt In feature regarding the ability to discontinue coverage through the University’s plan and return at a later time.

Your Cost

The University’s subsidy is based on the retiree’s years of credited service as a Benefits Eligible Employee after age 45, as shown below:

Retiree Subsidy Schedule

Credited Service After Age 45

University Subsidy
toward Retiree Medical Coverage

1 - 9 years

none

10 years

30%

11 years

33.5%

12 years

37%

13 years

40.5%

14 years

44%

15 years

47.5%

16 years

51%

17 years

54.5%

18 years

58%

19 years

61.5%

20 or more years

65%

The subsidy schedule is applied to the capped retiree-specific premiums to determine the University’s subsidy. Retiree contributions represent the difference between the total cost and the University’s subsidy. The cap on retiree-specific premiums is a rising ceiling indexing the initial University cost in 2006 to the general rate of inflation plus 3.0 percent in succeeding years. The University’s share of the per capita costs in each succeeding year is incremented by the percentage increase in the actual medical cost trend, or to this ceiling, whichever results in the lesser increase. The retiree is responsible for any additional cost above the cap.

The Health Plans and the Marketplace

All three retiree health plans, SUBlue, SUOrange, and SUPro, meet the coverage and affordability requirements of the Affordable Care Act. This means that if you or your dependents are enrolled in any of these plans, or public programs such as Medicare or Medicaid, you meet the individual mandate requiring everyone to have health insurance. However, given the variety of health insurance options available through the Marketplace of private insurers and the subsidies available, you may want to consider whether private insurance is a good option for you and your dependents. More information on the Marketplace is available by phone at 800.318.2596 (Federal) and 855.355.5777 (New York State), and online at https://healthcare.gov (federal) or https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov(New York State). You should also compare the coverage and cost of these plans with those available to you through a spouse or domestic partner.

Dental and Vision

Upon retirement, your coverage in the dental and vision plans will end as of your last day worked. You will receive information about continuing coverage under COBRA for up to 18 months. If you choose to continue coverage, you pay the full cost of coverage, plus a 2% administrative fee. You can terminate COBRA coverage at any time.

The benefits listed above apply as indicated to retired and emeritus faculty and retired staff members of Syracuse University. All benefits programs are subject to change. If any discrepancies exist between program-related communications and the Plan Document, the terms and conditions detailed in the Plan Document will control.